Green Cove Springs, Florida

So, we made it to Jacksonville! It seems like a whirlwind of a week that got us here, but we did it. Orders on Saturday (couldn't do anything until Monday because no one works on the weekend), submitted paperwork for a move on Monday, move set up on Tuesday, truck came Thursday, cleaned all day Friday, and out of Corpus on Saturday. Whew! We made an overnight pit stop in Pensacola to visit our great friends, Leah and Rich (and Lewis too!). Not only was it great to see them again, but it was also good to see that Izzy hadn't forgotten her one and only friend from Corpus. Izzy and Lewis were back at it like no time had gone by. That was a relief! Being back in Pensacola was great. The highways were back up and running with minimal construction and so many new stores had popped up in the short time we were gone. Leah and Rich were so awesome for letting us stay with them and we couldn't thank them enough! We had a fantastic time just relaxing and catching up and eating at Peg Leg Pete's on Pensacola Beach.



Driving here was easy as pie, finding a place to live in a few days was harder than it sounds! There are so many houses to rent around here, however each house has a different stipulation that prevents people that are ready to move in with money in hand from renting that house. No dogs over 10 lbs, so you should just say we only rent to people who have cats! No refrigerator comes with the house - are we supposed to keep our food in a cooler?? And the gripes go on! We got here on a Monday and got into our hotel about 3pm... then we started hitting the streets to find a house. No luck Monday. We turned to an awesome realtor for guidance... no luck Tuesday. Our truck of stuff got here Tuesday... off to storage it goes because we don't have a house. Wednesday we find an awesome house we like, but there is an application already on it but it is in a holding pattern for approval (like the flight terms??). We rush to the office before it closes at 5pm, find out the application in front of us has been denied and hurriedly fill out an application. Thursday we wait... then 3pm we find out the house is ours and to come in Friday morning to sign the lease. We start setting up water, cable, electricity, and trying to get our stuff out of storage - earliest date we could get it, June 3rd! What?? Friday - moving day - We get a call from the property office, they have an opening today to get our stuff out, can we do it? (We don't have the keys or anything to the house, but we say yes!) We get the keys just in time... we check out of the hotel and rush over to the house. We move in without the water turned on and the water guy shows up within minutes to turn it on! Our savior - we could flush the toilets!! The movers come 10 minutes after we get there and the unloading begins. WHEW!!!




So now we are 99% unpacked. Damage report completed! (STUPID MOVERS!!!) Living the good life in Green Cove Springs. If any of you who read this... (hahaha... not many, probably just myself!) ...are in the area at any time, give me a call! Stop by! Come visit!! We would love to have you and we now have a place for you to sleep.

Moving Day!

So the time has come for us to move again. We got everything set up this past monday for the movers to come yesterday (Thursday). They are picking up the boxes today so we will be out of here by this afternoon. Having the movers box everything up wasn't as bad as when we moved from Pensacola. They were actually pretty good and pretty nice. Now... the fun part begins today! It is going to be raining all day when they are moving everything out of the house; let's hope the furniture doesn't get soaken. We are stopping by Pensacola to see our old neighbors (Leah-Rich- and their dog Lewis) and then heading to Jax on Monday. We have no place to live and we are on a tight schedule. Jared has to check in when we get there and they may give him a stash job. I will be leaving JAX shortly and driving to VA for my nephew's birth so we are in a time crunch to find a place to live. I am starting to feel the stress of this move, but am trying to take things as well as I can. I am really stressing not having a place to live and not knowing how renting a house works. If we don't find a house we like together before I have to leave then Jared will have to find one on his own... and then unpack the house when our stuff gets there. Oh the joy of moving. That's what is going on so far this week, nothing really interesting as you can see. However... EVERYONE is more than welcome to come visit us in Jax when we find a place. We will be close to really awesome places and we will be on the EAST COAST!!
Safe driving for all the others that are moving soon!
~M

Winging!

We really are done here in Corpus Christi!! Jared received his wings on May 9th! He is now an official pilot of the United States Navy. The ceremony went well and Jared was so thrilled to FINALLY get his wings. The wings he will wear are his grandfathers' wings from when he was winged in 1954. Besides getting his wings, Jared was also recognized (along with many others) for being a top student and received a plaque for being on the Commodore's List with Distinction. That means... he is in the top 5% of the Navy. Congratulations to him and the many others that also received such high honors. So the ceremony ends and then the real party began later...The winging party afterwards was by far the best one ever! Besides the free flowing alcohol, there was a mechanical bull! Yep... you read correctly, a MECHANICAL BULL! What is Texas without a little bull riding?!

We have been having such a great time with our parents and Jared's grandfather. It has been such a treat to have them here with us to celebrate and to show them around what has been our home for 5 months. Jared took us on a tour around the squadron and showed up the T-44. I got to have a taste of the simultaor and pretend to fly a plane. We also took my parents to San Antonio and spent the day at the Alamo and the Riverwalk. Although time with guests has been limited (people actually have jobs and work?!?) we certainly made the most of it and had a great time.

So... now on to the most important stuff we have been waiting for. Oh but wait...a funny story first! The spouses receive a "Neglected Spouse Award" for being put through the emotional rollercoaster that is called flight school. I was called up to receive the award with Jared and the award was handed out by the Commodore. When I got up there the Commodore said, "So you guys headed off to Jacksonville?" I said, "Yes sir... we also really want Whidbey Island, Washington can you make that happen... and soon?" The Commodore (who is a very nice guy by the way) just laughed and smiled. After the picture, on the way back to sit down I said to Jared, "That was the right person to ask right?"

Now back to the most important stuff... After waiting for several days (a lot of people received their orders right away) we finally got our orders Saturday morning. Our orders state... Detach from Wing May '08. Check in to Wing June '08! WOO HOOO!! We will be out of here in time to drive up to Virginia for my new nephew to arrive. We are going to try and get everything organized and done so that we can head out of Corpus Christi no later than the beginning of next week. Jared is going to check in with the wing in Jax and then ask to take househunting leave so he can drive up to VA with me for a little bit. Jared and I are so excited to finally know when we are going to be out of here! He classes up in Jax with the rest of his classmates from here on July 30th.

Sorry this has been a long entry! We have just had so many important things happen in the last few days that I wanted to share with everyone! ~ Megan